Elderberry gummies used as alternative to fight the flu

Elderberry gummies are flying off the shelves at most Green Country pharmacies. (KTUL)

BROKEN ARROW, Okla. (KTUL) —

They're becoming all the rage. Elderberries, the natural flu fighter. Some even say it's as strong and effective as Tamiflu.

Elderberry gummies are flying off the shelves at most Green Country pharmacies.

"I went ahead and found the elderberry extract that we utilize," said DJ Lees with NextGen RX in Broken Arrow.

He says his elderberry gummies will fight off flu symptoms.

"It improves the immune system and produces healthy cells, it contains good health doses of vitamin A, vitamin C, the B vitamins ," said Lees.

He might be on the right track. Doctors say elderberry has been proven to work in fighting off the flu and these gummies are selling out fast.

"We're typically making two to four batches per day and they're sold by the time we close at 6 o'clock," said Lees.

But is taking elderberry more effective than taking the leading flu products?

"It's not so much of a treatment or anything like that," said Pharmacist Kendall Wolfe. "It basically just kind of decreases the severity of the symptoms and everything like that while you have the flu."

So while it's hard to directly compare to Tamiflu, the claim that elderberry is a natural flu treatment is true.

There are other natural remedies you can find at the store, like teas and other vitamins. Doctors still recommend getting the flu shot.